8 Apr 2013

Morning Report: local papers

7:35 am on 8 April 2013

Monday's headlines: Crackdown on food labelling; demolition waste found buried at 13 sections; 45 students at the University of Otago were caught cheating last year.

NZ Herald

The New Zealand Heraldleads with a crackdown on food labelling that is part of the Government's push to stamp out misleading and reckless marketing.

It says companies will now need to have scientific evidence when they make claims that something is 'low in fat', or 'good for your bones'.

Waikato Times

The Waikato Times leads with the recovery of the crashed plane flown by 2degrees boss Eric Hertz and his wife Kathy.

Navy crew members are pictured coming ashore at Raglan and shaking hands with Eric's brother Eli Hertz, a former United States Navy pilot.

Maori elders performed a waiata and kaumatua Russell Riki told the paper its nothing short of a miracle that the bodies of Mr and Mrs Hertz had been found.

Dominion Post

The Dominion Postsays insurers are imposing $5000 excesses for fences, driveways and swimming pools.

The change will affect most homeowners, leaving them to pay a larger chunk of the damage bill after an earthquake, tsunami, flood or storm.

And the paper says a proposed law change may soon allow schools to seize pupils' smartphones and search for evidence of cyberbullying.

Most principals are welcoming the proposed law change, but others fear it could damage relationships with pupils and their parents.

The Press

The Press leads with a new twist in the Earthquake Commission's data security leak problems. It says private information relating to earthquake-damaged homes has been leaked to a former employee, who now writes a blog. The man says he was given the information on Friday and that he is prepared to release it to homeowners who can prove their identity.

Canterbury Regional Council is investigating a contractor for burying demolition waste at 13 residential sections. The council says buried waste has been found and removed at four properties and another nine addresses were being investigated.

ODT

The Otago Daily Times says 45 students at the University of Otago were caught cheating last year. The cases included a student who handed in an assignment paid for online, and another who smuggled exam notes into a toilet.

Environmentalists and Shell are set to lock horns over the exploration of Otago's offshore oil and gas deposits, starting with a public demonstration in the Octagon on Monday.